Holding devices or fasteners, sometimes referred to as “clips,” are used for routing items such as flexible tubing, rigid tubes, rods and the like in many different assemblies. Holding devices for this purpose are known to include some type of anchoring fixture for securing the holding device to the object on which it is used and a retainer structure or pocket that holds and secures the flexible tubing, rigid tube, rod or other item or thing that is to be held in position relative to the anchoring object. The anchoring fixture can be, for example, a threaded part, a deflectable self-locking leg for inserting into a hole, a mounting plate with holes for bolts, screws, rivets or other types of fasteners, a simple hole for receiving a stud or fixed fastener in the assembly, or any of a variety of other constructions that can be used to attach the holding device to the object, such as, for example an automobile.
Holding devices of the type described are used extensively in the automotive industry for routing fuel lines, brake lines, HVAC lines and the like, referred to herein as a “fluid conductor”. The holding device must be robust to secure the fluid conductor in place. Once inserted into the holding device, the fluid conductor must be held firmly to prevent accidental dislodgment. A loose brake line or fuel line, for example, or other hose or fluid conductor in an automobile, can fail prematurely from mechanical stress placed thereon from movement and vibration resulting from its loosened condition. However, such failures can be created even if the fluid conductor is not dislodged from the holding device but is subjected to movement relative to the holding device. For example, when routing fuel lines, brake lines and the like in an automobile, the holding devices are secured to frame members, engine components and the like, and are configured to receive the fuel line or brake line in a close-fitting relationship. However, due to the significant vibration generated by an operating automobile, relative movement can occur between the holding device and the fuel or brake line. Relative movement between brake lines or fuel lines and their respective holding devices is undesirable not only because the relative movement can cause the brake line or fuel line to be detached, but also because the relative movement can cause fatigue and ultimately failure either at the point of movement or at couplings and the like upstream or downstream from the fastened location.
Accordingly, it is desirable and advantageous to provide a clip for holding fuel lines, brake lines and the like that provides fixed, relative positioning to ensure that the fuel line or brake line remains where routed with limited relative movement between the clip and the fuel or brake line.
A variety of designs are known for holding clips in automobiles. It is known to provide a pocket with a restricted inlet slightly narrower than the hose or tube diameter, requiring the hose or tube to be forced into the pocket. Some designs are known to include deflectable members at the top of the retention pocket, which can be deflected as the tube or hose is inserted. Once the tube or hose is properly positioned in the pocket, the arms spring back over the inlet area to the pocket. These designs are often referred to as “rabbit ear” designs because of the appearance of the deflectable arms. Both single rabbit ear and double rabbit ear constructions are known. A single rabbit ear design has an arm extending from one side of the inlet past the tube or pocket centerline. Such “over center” designs have had some success in holding tubes and hoses in place, but can be deflected to release the hose or tube if significant force is applied as the hose or tube is pulled from the pocket. So called “double rabbit ear” designs are intended to retain a tube or hose in the retention member via tangential force on the outer tube surface. These designs have opposed arms extending inwardly near to but not past the tube or pocket centerline.
Forces acting on a holding device and a fluid conductor held therein can be directed toward dislodging the fluid conductor from the holding device (so-called “pullout” force), can be directed toward sliding movement of the fluid conductor in the holding device or can be directed toward rotating the fluid conductor in the holding device. Often it is desirable to limit all such relative movements between a fluid conductor and a holding device for it, and known designs have achieved some but not total success in doing so. While some known holding devices have achieved success in limiting pullout force, limiting sliding movement and particularly limiting relative rotation have been more difficult to achieve in an inexpensive clip. Various types of protrusions or projections into the pockets formed in the holding devices have achieved some success by embedding into the fluid conductors held therein; however, such projections have embedded themselves only slightly into the fluid conductors, and have given way when subjected to significant rotational forces.
What is needed in the art is a holder for tubes, hoses and the like that adequately holds the item therein while substantially reducing the potential for unintended dislodgement, sliding movement and rotation, yet which can be manufactured inexpensively and used efficiently.